Man charged with murder of Officer Enrique Martinez during traffic stop on South Side

CHICAGO – A 23-year-old man has been arrested in the killing of Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez, who was shot during a traffic stop in Chatham on Monday, city officials announced.

Darion McMillian is charged with first-degree murder of a police officer, first-degree murder, attempted murder of a police officer, residential burglary, unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, Chicago Police Department officials said at a news conference Wednesday.

McMillian, of south suburban Harvey, is accused of shooting Martinez with a handgun equipped with an illegal “switch” that allows it to fire like a machine gun, police said.

On Monday at 8 p.m., officers stopped a car with three people inside in the 8000 block of South Ingleside Avenue. Martinez and his partner were talking to the driver of the car when Martinez noticed McMillian, in the passenger seat, reaching for a bag on the floor of the car, police said.

“Officer Martinez and his partner gave McMillan verbal instructions not to attack any further. At this point, McMillian produced a fully automatic handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device and an extended magazine and fired in the direction of Officer Martinez, fatally striking him. The driver of the vehicle was also fatally struck multiple times by McMillian’s shots,” said Detective Chief Antoinette Ursitti.

McMillian “pushed the driver out of the vehicle and jumped into the driver’s seat as another officer attempted to pull McMillian from the driver’s seat,” Ursitti said.

McMillian put the car in reverse, dragging Martinez’s partner with him. While being dragged, the officer’s firearm “fired once into the ground,” Ursitti said.

McMillian then crashed the car and fled to a first-floor apartment, where he found a knife and cut his electronic monitoring bracelet before fleeing the unit. A woman was in the apartment at the time and was uninjured, Ursitti said.

Police later found McMillian in the 8000 block of South Maryland Avenue, Ursitti said.

Martinez was taken by other officers to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police previously said. The driver of the car McMillian shot was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

At the time of the shooting, McMillian was being placed on electronic monitoring for attempting to falsify a drug and alcohol test, Ursitti said.

“Needless to say, this individual should not have been on our streets with a fully automatic weapon,” Snelling said.

Martinez’s partner is doing well but is “struggling in other ways” after witnessing Martinez’s killing, Supt. Larry Snelling said, citing “a lot of psychological trauma.”

At Wednesday’s news conference, Mayor Brandon Johnson said that while the charges against McMillian won’t bring Martinez back, he hopes to bring justice to his family.

“We will bring justice to the Martinez family, the Chicago Police Department and the city of Chicago as a whole. Let us continue to hold Officer Enrique Martinez and his family in our hearts and remember that Officer Martinez served with gratitude, courage and love,” Johnson said.

Martinez has been in office for “almost three years,” Snelling said. The officer worked in the 6th (Gresham) Police District.

“We must never forget the great sacrifices made by our police officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. “We honestly owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude that we can never repay, and it is our solemn duty to fight for justice for those who followed them in their service,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.

Monday’s incident was the second shooting and death of a police officer in Ald. Michelle Harris’ 8th District in recent years.

Aréanah Preston, 24, was shot and killed after finishing her shift at Avalon Park last year. Preston worked in the 5th Police District (Calumet) for three years. Four teenagers have been charged with her 2023 murder. Harris helped rename the street where the shooting took place after Preston last September.

“It is with heavy hearts that we have lost another young Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty,” Harris said in a Facebook post. “This brave individual dedicated his life to protecting our community and serving honorably. Our thoughts and prayers are with the officer’s family, friends and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. Let us come together to honor their sacrifice and remember the courage it takes to serve and protect. Please join us in sending love and support to everyone affected by this heartbreaking loss. Rest in peace, hero. Their commitment to our safety will never be forgotten.”

McMillian will appear in court at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

Block Club’s Atavia Reed contributed reporting.

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